


Some Day My Prince Will Come

by shadowedrain



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-22 12:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22582567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowedrain/pseuds/shadowedrain
Summary: Every little girl grows up believing a handsome prince will come along and sweep her off her feet. Roger grows up thinking the idea is ridiculous, but is it?Note: This is a repost from my livejournal
Relationships: Brooklyn Decker/Andy Roddick, Mirka Federer/Roger Federer, Roger Federer & Mirka Federer, Roger Federer/Andy Roddick
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	1. After all, who cared about princes and marriage and happily ever after?

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted in my livejournal in 2010.
> 
> Several things, so bear with me. First off, for the sake of this story, we're pretending Mirka was never pregnant, which I suppose is easy enough. Secondly, I know the story references Cinderella at the beginning while the title comes from Snow White, but the title seemed to fit and I had already become attached to the Cinderella reference. Besides, I was too lazy to change it. Finally, I started out trying to write a nice, fluffy ficlet after the angst I put Roger and Andy through in my last fic, but it developed a mind of its own. That led to Roger becoming all psychological and going introspective on me as he tried to work through his problem, which I didn't even know existed. The end result is this monstrosity, just going to show why I should never be allowed to borrow them again. If after all of that you still want to read it, please tell me what you think. Comments are love.

“…and he’ll come for me, just like in the fairytale, and then I’ll be a real princess, with pretty pink dresses and diamond rings and…”

Seven-year-old Roger rolled his eyes as his sister continued to drone on. It had been raining all day and the two had been stuck inside with little to do. Their mother had already told them that if they were going to watch TV, they’d have to share. When it was Diana’s turn to choose, she opted for Cinderella, completely enamored with the idea of meeting a handsome prince. As soon as the movie reached the point where Cinderella met Prince Charming at the ball, Diana started gushing to Roger about the way she envisioned her own fairytale going. Of course it would be love at first sight, just like in the movies, and then she would marry her prince and they would live happily ever after in their large, beautiful castle.

Realizing there was no end in sight, he sighed as she detailed how her wedding would go. Admittedly, her plans weren’t very elaborate, but that didn’t matter to Roger who still found the subject boring. After all, who cared about princes and marriage and happily ever after?

Suddenly Diana stopped in the middle of her perfect wedding plans, noticing Roger was no longer listening to what she was saying. “You’re not listening to me!” she all but whined, a small pout on her face.

“Who cares about princes and marriage?” Roger said, reiterating his previous thought, adding, “I don’t want some stupid prince to marry me.”

Diana laughed at him. “You wouldn’t. You’re a _boy_ ,” she told him, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Upon seeing the ‘Well, duh’ look on Roger’s face, she explained. “Boys don’t marry princes, they _are_ the princes. You’re supposed to find a girl, a _princess_ , not a prince.”

Roger sat back on the couch, fuming. “I don’t want one of _those_ either,” he stated firmly. “Who wants some yucky old girl?”

“You will someday,” she said with a smirk.

‘I won’t,’ he silently vowed as Diana, thinking she had won the argument, went back to watching the movie.

* * *

Years later, Roger found very little had changed as he pretended to listen yet again to plans for a dream wedding. Sitting at the kitchen table, he could hear the rain pounding against the pavement outside, serving as a backdrop to the voice resounding throughout the room. Glancing across the table, he shared a small smile with his sister as he heard the sound of Mirka’s voice coming from the seat next to him.

As he moved his gaze from his sister and towards Mirka, his eyes caught on the large, brilliant sparkle of a ring on her left hand as she moved it in her excitement. Finding it hard to move, it was as though the stone had hypnotized him, his surroundings and Mirka’s voice fading into the distance. Suddenly he began to feel trapped, as though the room were closing in on him. Just as he was feeling positive he would suffocate, he was freed by the sound of someone calling his name.

“Roger, you haven’t heard a word I said, have you?” Mirka asked crossly, a scowl forming on her face.

Not wanting to anger her by admitting he hadn’t, Roger denied the accusation. “I was listening,” he insisted. “I was just thinking about what you were saying.”

Mirka’s face softened slightly, but she was still skeptical. “So what do you think?”

Wracking his brain, he tried desperately to remember something, anything she had been saying. Coming up empty, he briefly sent a pleading glance to his sister. Diana simply shrugged her shoulders and gave him an apologizing look, unable to offer any help. Certain he could feel his life flash before his eyes, he did the only other thing he could think of. “I think that’s a great idea,” he told her with a smile, praying to God he had guessed right.

After what felt like an eternity to Roger, but was really only a couple of seconds, Mirka’s face lit up. “Oh, I was really hoping you would!” she beamed.

Realizing he had dodged a bullet, he let out a sigh of relief as Mirka’s phone went off. She grabbed it out of her purse before excusing herself to take the call. As soon as she had left the room, Diana honed in on her brother.

“You may have fooled her, but you can’t fool me. You looked as though you were a million miles away. What were you thinking about?”

He tried to think of an excuse, but he knew she would see right through it. “Cinderella,” he said simply. Seeing her brow furrowed in confusion, knowing she couldn’t see the elaborate connection of thoughts associated with that one word in his brain, he elaborated. “It was years ago, strangely enough it was raining that day as well, and we were watching Cinderella. I was thinking about you boring me with your dreams of Prince Charming.”

Diana lit up with understanding, the memories flooding back to her as Roger recounted that day, and she let out a laugh. “I remember that.” Then, suddenly, her eyes went wide and a smirk appeared on her face. “I was right!”

“About what?” Roger asked, not sure he would like where this was headed.

“About finding a girl and sweeping her off her feet. I admit I once had my doubts about you, but I would say you grew into the role of Prince Charming quite nicely. After all, you’ve made yourself King of the Tennis Courts.” Seeing Roger wince at the clichéd title, she shook her head. “It’s true and you know it! As for the princess, Mirka’s perfect for you Roger. You have well and truly swept her off her feet and are well on your way to happily ever after. As much as you tried to fight it, your life has become the perfect fairytale.”

Roger sighed, though a smile was still on his face. “I suppose it’s too late to change that?”

Diana nudged him, smiling as well. “As though you would. You love it, really.”

Before he could answer, Mirka reappeared, sitting back at the table and diving back into the wedding plans. Roger reached over and grabbed her hand in his, causing her to flash him a bright smile as she continued on.

The smile on Roger’s own face faltered a little, which Mirka didn’t see, as he felt himself starting to suffocate again, though he couldn’t figure out why.

‘ _You_ _don’t need a princess_!’ a voice inside his head insisted, but he refused to listen. ‘ _Who wants some yucky old girl, remember_?’

He did remember, but he squashed the voice down, refusing to listen. ‘I _do_ need a princess,’ he silently insisted, desperately hoping that if he said it enough times he would believe it despite how empty the words felt. He had to, because that’s what princes did; they married the beautiful princess and lived happily ever after. All of the fairytales said as much and that’s what his life was, a fairytale. So then why didn’t he feel happy?

* * *

How long could he stay here before she noticed he was missing?

Having finished up on the practice courts at the Australian Open, Roger was taking his time in the locker room, trying to enjoy his last few moments of freedom. He found the closer the wedding date loomed, the stronger the need to escape. There were so many things now; last minute wedding plans, well-meaning family members, Mirka, all threatening to drown him if he didn’t take a moment to breathe. Like a person breaking through the surface of the ocean, gasping heavily for breath before the waves could carry them back under; he escaped with excuses of needing to practice for his upcoming matches, knowing it was only a matter of time before he would have to return.

‘ _You’re avoiding her, but why? This is slowly destroying you, causing you to drown. Did you ever stop and think that might mean something?_ ’ a familiar voice asked from inside of his head.

Although meager excuses were enough to evade Mirka and her planning, Roger found it far harder to shove aside the thoughts rolling around inside of his head, following him wherever he went. In fact, they became that much louder during these moments of solitude. If the wedding were an ocean threatening to drown him, his own thoughts were a one hundred ton weight threatening to crush him under their force. With nothing to ease the situation he found himself in, Roger felt trapped.

‘I’m perfectly happy, _Mirka_ makes me happy, so it must be stress,’ Roger thought, trying with all of his might to wish the voice away. ‘After this tournament, after this wedding, things will settle down and everything will go back to normal. Life will be perfect.’

The voice laughed at him. ‘ _Normal… Life hasn’t been normal since you found yourself engaged. Did you ever think that might be the problem?_ ’

Roger was confused. How could his engagement be the problem? He was ready to settle down; he knew that, just as he knew Mirka was perfect.

‘ _Mirka_ is _perfect… just not for you. If you want your normal life back, you need to accept that your fairy tale ending doesn’t need a princess, it needs –’_

“No!” Roger suddenly shouted, not wanting to think about it. If he didn’t think it, it didn’t exist, meaning he didn’t have to face it. “I’m not listening to this because I’m not hearing voices.”

“Um, okay… That’s probably a good thing, since hearing voices is usually the first sign of insanity.”

Roger blinked a few times, realizing this voice was different, mainly because it wasn’t coming from inside of his head. Looking up, he saw why. There, staring at him with his eyebrows raised in a silent question, was Andy Roddick.

“I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” Roger explained.

Andy shrugged, a smile on his face. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t let the other players hear you say that, though.”

Roger absently nodded, still a little dazed.

“You okay?” Andy asked, smile disappearing as he noticed Roger looked more than a little off.

Roger nodded again. “I’m fine. It’s just stress,” he said, trying to convince himself as much as Andy.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Andy replied in understanding. “Let me guess, Mirka’s driving you up the wall with this wedding stuff. Brooklyn’s the same way. She went on and on about floral arrangements, and don’t even get me started on the invitations. Sometimes it gets to be a bit much.”

“You need to escape,” Roger said, thinking he knew where Andy was coming from, being in the same place himself. Without thinking about it, he added, “Otherwise it starts to suffocate you and you can’t breathe.”

“Yeah,” Andy said in surprise, not realizing Roger felt that way. He never would have guessed that about the Swiss, not when he gave off the appearance of having the perfect life. Maybe things weren’t so perfect after all.

Feeling he had revealed too much, and deciding he didn’t want to give Andy the opportunity to delve any deeper, Roger grabbed his stuff, saying, “I have to go. Mirka’s probably wondering where I am.”

Watching him leave, Andy stood there for a few moments in thought. After Roger’s revelation, something that struck a chord in him, he found he didn’t believe the Swiss was simply suffering from stress, but he also knew it wasn’t his place to push the issue. Still, something wasn’t right and it was bothering him, though he couldn’t figure out why. Not wanting to think about what it could mean, he left as well, resolved to keep an eye on Roger.

* * *

After that day in the locker room, the two found themselves drawn to each other. It was as though a bond was forged, a friendship quickly growing between the two, though they never did anything but talk between matches. Neither ever mentioned that day, sharing a silent agreement not to talk about it, but they talked about almost everything else. They shared something they couldn’t explain, something that Mirka and Brooklyn couldn’t give them.

Andy chalked it up as a means of observing Roger, attempting to get to the root of what was really bothering him. The one thing he didn’t want to analyze was why it was so important he do so, almost afraid of what he would discover. Instead, he continued to spend time with the Swiss, denying there was anything more to it than two players, with something in common, passing the time of day while on tour. After all, how could there be?

Roger, on the other hand, found that when he was around Andy he could breathe again. The feelings of slow suffocation and drowning that he felt with Mirka, or anything related to the impending wedding, ceased, as did something else. The voice in his head, constantly there even on the tennis courts, demanding he reevaluate and reprioritize his personal life, disappeared with Andy’s presence. It was during these moments that he found peace, and the more time he spent with the American, the more he enjoyed the other’s presence, going so far as to seek it out; anything to bring back some normalcy.

Still, he knew he couldn’t avoid his problems completely. As much as he tried to deny it, he was lying to himself and everyone around him about what he really wanted, needed even. The voice continued to haunt him, despite his best efforts to lose himself entirely in his matches. He just wanted it to end, to stop fighting himself. His internal struggles were taking a toll and he didn’t know how much longer he could continue. Deep down, he knew what he needed to do, but he just couldn’t admit it. Everything would change if he did, so he continued to suffer in silence, not that he would ever admit to suffering.

Meanwhile, Andy had noticed that contrary to what he had claimed, Roger’s problems stemmed from more than tournament stress and pre-wedding jitters. It wasn’t noticeable to the other players, since they weren’t looking too closely, but he could tell that the man appeared lost and desperate, as though he were searching for something he couldn’t find. ‘Or something he can’t have,’ Andy thought. He may not know much, but he knew that was the last thing a man in Roger’s position should be feeling. After all, he was living the fairytale. All he needed to complete it was his marriage to Mirka, something that left a knot in Andy’s stomach every time he thought about it.

They had a routine and it worked. It also changed everything, something Roger was about to discover.


	2. Maybe, just maybe, as crazy as it seemed, he was saving him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it pre-wedding jitters or something else? Roger and Andy have a revelation while Diana makes some discoveries of her own.

Just days before the wedding Roger found he couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to scream in frustration, feeling trapped with no way out, and he desperately needed to breathe. Everywhere he turned there was Mirka or Diana, or someone else insistent he sit down and help with the planning. The times he was able to flee, his own mind haunted him, the voice never far away. Remembering something, and with nowhere else to turn, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number he swore he’d never use.

“Hello?” the voice on the other end asked after several rings, sounding incredibly tired, as though he had just woken up.

Roger swallowed, already feeling lighter, but nonetheless wondering if this was such a good idea after all. “Andy? This is Roger. I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

“No, no,” Andy hurriedly assured, glad to hear Roger’s voice. “It’s fine.” He gave a small laugh. “I was beginning to think you were never going to use my number. What’s up?”

“I thought I’d see how you were doing.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he cringed, the excuse sounding flimsy even to him.

“Uh huh,” was the skeptical reply. “You just happened to call me at…four in the morning to see how I was doing? What’s really wrong, Roger?”

Roger hesitated to say, but it really didn’t matter. After all of the conversations they had and all of the observations Andy had made, he could tell Roger was unhappy with the direction his life was going. He also knew that for whatever reason he was the one Roger turned to when things became too much to handle, not that the man would ever admit it, nor would he ever tell Andy what was actually bothering him. It seemed he just needed someone to talk to, allowing him to take his mind off things.

Realizing he wasn’t going to get anything out of him this time either, Andy sighed. He desperately wished the other man would open up to him and tell him what he was thinking. “So…what did you want to talk about this time? I hear Djokovic is planning your untimely demise. Any truth to that?” he asked, drawing a laugh from Roger.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Diana was listening as her brother animatedly talked on the phone. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but it had seemed an eternity since she had last heard him truly laugh at anything. Now that she thought about it, he hadn’t been this happy or carefree in quite some time. His mind always seemed to be somewhere else, a troubled look upon his face. She had started to suspect something was wrong and began piecing things together.

Was he really that miserable, and if so, what was the cause? She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she did know one thing. Whomever Roger was talking to appeared to bring out the best in him, a part of him that had been missing for far too long. She knew she should be upset that he was doing this to Mirka, and so close to the wedding, but ultimately she only wanted her brother’s happiness. If whoever this woman was made Roger happy, that was all that mattered and she would gladly welcome her into the family. Anything to bring back the man who had been missing these last few months. Taking one last look at him, completely lost in the conversation he was having, she continued down the hall and out of earshot, deciding it was finally time they had a talk.

* * *

“This really isn’t what you want, is it?” Diana asked him later that day. It may have taken her awhile to get there, but she knew her brother and he wasn’t happy with Mirka, at least not anymore, that much was obvious.

“It is,” Roger insisted, the words feeling empty even to his own ears. He now knew no matter how many times he repeated it, no matter how many times he lied to himself, it would always be just that; a lie. However, if he were to admit that this really was a mistake, that he wanted something else, ‘Someone else,’ the voice in his head insisted, his perfect, carefully constructed world would fall apart.

Diana sighed. “I used to think so, but now I can see that you’re trying to force something that isn’t there. This won’t make you happy and I think you know what will, you’re just too stubborn to admit it...or too afraid. Is there someone else?”

“No,” Roger denied a little too quickly, allowing Diana to see right through him.

“There is. Who is she, Roger?” She was curious now as to who had managed to steal her brother’s heart.

“No one,” Roger tried again. “There isn’t anyone else. I love Mirka and that’s it.”

Diana shook her head. “It isn’t. I know there’s someone else. I know I shouldn’t have, but I overheard you talking to her on the phone. Whoever she is, she must be someone special to have captured you.”

He stared at her in shock, surprised she actually thought that he and Andy... Somehow, that thought didn’t feel as wrong as it should have. “Then you didn’t hear enough. Do you really think I was talking with another woman on the phone? Or that I could even replace Mirka in the first place? I promise you I wasn’t and I couldn’t.

“But your phone call this morning –”

“Was to Andy Roddick,” he cut her off, wanting to clear up the situation as soon as possible. “We were talking about some things on tour, that’s all.”

Taking a moment to recall which player Andy was, Diana nodded, remembering Roger’s replies to the American. As she did so, she also did a quick calculation in her head, realizing that her brother would have called him in the early morning hours back in the states. Yet, despite the early hour, he didn’t seem to mind, if Roger’s side of the conversation had been anything to go by. In fact, the two had been on the phone for over an hour, Roger lit up in a way she hadn’t seen since…since his engagement, and if she remembered correctly, Andy was approaching his own wedding date. It didn’t take long for her to connect the dots, and when she did, she knew things just became much more complicated, not that they weren’t complicated already. She also found, surprisingly, that it didn’t bother her as much as it should have. Now if she could just get through to Roger.

“I understand,” she said, and she did, or at least she thought she did, but she wanted to see where Roger was in all of this. “He’s a friend of yours?”

“You could say that,” he answered vaguely. He wasn’t sure how to classify their relationship. They weren’t friends in the traditional sense, but they had somehow moved beyond simply being good acquaintances that saw each other in passing at various tournaments. The earlier conversation proved that, if nothing else.

She paused, unsure how she should phrase her next question. Finally, she settled on, “Do you love him?”

Of all the things she could have said, that was the last thing Roger expected. “No!” he quickly assured her, calmly adding, “No. Whatever gave you that idea? We only talked.”

“You did,” she said, getting an eyebrow raised in response. “This morning, when you were on the phone with him, you were happy.”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” he said defensively, adding, “and I’ve been happy.”

“You haven’t,” she argued. “Not before today. You only pretend to be, but after seeing the way you came to life when you were talking with Andy… I now see just how miserable you’ve been. And if that phone call was anything to go by you are infatuated with him at the very least.”

“I’m not in love with him,” Roger stated. Somehow, though, the words felt wrong and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Aren’t you?” she questioned, becoming more and more convinced that she was right. “Recently you’ve been a shell of your former self, walking around here in a daze when you think no one’s looking and plastering a smile on your face as soon as you suspect someone is. Then, earlier today, I saw you light up and the only thing that could have caused that change was him. He did that to you, Roger, over the phone, which makes me wonder what else I’ve missed. I can only imagine what you’re like when he’s actually in the room.”

Roger wanted to deny it, but knew there was no point. Feeling his carefully placed façade begin to crack, he knew there was some truth in what she was saying. After all, Andy was the one he ran to when things became too much, the one who vanquished all of his demons away without even realizing he was doing it. He was the only one who _could_ vanquish Roger’s demons. He could deny it all he wanted, but what was the point in lying now? He was tired of being on the defensive, first against his own thoughts and now against his sister. He was also just plain tired.

“You can say it, Roger,” Diana encouraged, taking her back to all of those times when they were kids and she had to help him along.

“Maybe…” he conceded, taking a breath and closing his eyes for what he was about to say. “Maybe there is something there. Maybe I do love him.” With those words, he felt lighter, no longer feeling the crushing, suffocating force that had threatened to slowly destroy him. Admitting the truth to Diana and, more importantly, to himself felt oddly freeing. Still, he knew he was far from free, something still holding him back. As he slowly he opened his eyes, he found his sister staring at him with a smile.

“See, it’s okay. The world didn’t end.” Seeing a frown on his face, she knew something was still troubling him. “What is it?” 

“Now that I know, I can’t pretend around him anymore,” he said simply, looking miserable. “We can never be more than friends, but I’m afraid I’ll lose that too.”

Understanding dawned on Diana. “Oh. Oh, I see. You’re not going to tell him, are you?”

He shook his head, feeling as though he’d just lost everything. ‘Why?’ he thought. ‘Until a few moments ago, you couldn’t even admit there was anything there. Now, you’re suddenly heartbroken?’ He gave a bitter laugh at the direction his thoughts had turned. When had the American come to mean so much to him and how had he not seen it? Deep down he knew he had always been attracted to Andy, quite possibly going all the way back to juniors if he were being honest with himself. As the two spent more and more time together, the initial attraction Roger felt had deepened, eventually becoming full-blown love. He had seen it coming, a part of him knowing he could fit better with Andy than he ever did with Mirka. He just hadn’t been able to admit it, wanting desperately to hold on to the illusion of happiness. With this latest realization, he knew there could be no happy ending, at least not for him.

“He doesn’t feel the same way,” he finally said. “I know he doesn’t. He’s getting married and he’s happy. It’s bad enough I’ve ruined my own happiness by falling for him when I shouldn’t have. I can’t ruin that for him as well.”

Seeing the pain on his face, Diana wanted to cry. She hated seeing him like this, knowing there was nothing she could do for him. “You’re getting married too, yet you’re definitely not happy,” she tried to reason. “Did you ever think that maybe he’s going through the same things you are? You have to tell him, Roger. You have to try. If you don’t, you’ll regret it later.”

“No,” he insisted. “It’s better this way. I _can_ be happy with Mirka, it’ll just take some time. I was before.” Here he took a deep breath as he considered the life he was giving up on before it even started, as well as the life he was committing himself to. “Anything else wouldn’t be fair to either of them.”

“And lying to them is?” she asked desperately, wishing he would see reason. “You can’t have a marriage built on a lie, or a friendship, and what about you? This isn’t fair to you either.”

Although Roger knew it to be true, he also knew he couldn’t do what she was asking him. Unable to deny anything, yet unable to give her the answer she was looking for, he chose to remain silent. There really was nothing more to say.

Knowing there was no changing his mind, Diana sighed, tears in her eyes at what her brother was doing, what he was throwing away. “Oh, Roger, you so desperately want to be the hero and save the day, but who’s going to save you?”

The words echoed in his mind, ringing truer than anything he had thought in the last few months, and though neither said it, both knew the heart wrenching answer; no one.

* * *

Meanwhile, across the ocean and a continent away, Andy was making some discoveries of his own.

After getting off the phone with Roger, Andy found himself unable to get back to sleep. Although the Swiss had sounded far better when he hung up than when he called, Andy knew something had to have been bothering him to get a phone call at four in the morning, or even a phone call at all. He knew Roger had been unhappy for quite some time, had suspected it going back to that day in the locker room at the Australian Open. Ever since then he had noticed that Roger appeared haunted by something, though he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what. Of course, Roger tried to hide it and appear as though he were living the perfect, carefree life everyone believed he did, but Andy knew better. If anything, he was surprised no one had caught on sooner, deciding maybe it was because he had been looking so hard when no one else had. After all, he was the only one to witness Roger talking to himself in a daze and if it weren’t for that, he probably wouldn’t have caught on either.

Then there were the moments he actually spent with Roger. For whatever reason, he knew he was responsible for making the other man happy when little else did, providing him with whatever he was looking for, though Andy didn’t know what that something was. If he didn’t know any better, he would say he was Roger’s knight in shining armor, but that was laughable, so ridiculous as to be dismissed right away. What did he need a knight in shining armor for, anyway? He was Roger Federer, the world’s greatest tennis player. Besides, even if Roger did need rescuing, Andy was the last person to do it.

‘Me save him?’ he thought with a laugh. ‘What a joke! I’m the last person for that job. I can’t beat him on the tennis court, but I’ll save him from himself? If he’s waiting for someone to save him, he better find someone else to do it. Maybe Nadal.’

Even as he thought it, he couldn’t help but remember the way Roger transformed before his eyes when he was around, or the way the Swiss sought him out, at times almost desperately like this morning. Maybe Roger needed him after all. Maybe, just maybe, as crazy as it seemed, he was saving him. But from what?

‘What could he possibly need saving from?’ he wondered. ‘He always seems so invincible, like nothing can hurt him.’ Yet he knew that wasn’t true, that something was bothering him, slowly destroying him if the last few months were anything to go by.

And then it hit him. He also remembered that Roger never mentioned Mirka or his impending wedding, which had always seemed strange. However, truth be told, he never brought up Brooklyn during their conversations, either. Both of them conveniently forgot their respective fiancés when around the other. He may be confused about a lot of things, but Andy knew enough to realize that wasn’t normal. If he loved Brooklyn so much, she should be in the back of his thoughts at the very least. Lately, she seemed to disappear completely, especially where Roger was concerned. It was the Swiss he worried about, thought about, who made him laugh, and who just this morning, when he should have been upset at being awoken at an ungodly hour, brought a smile to his face at being able to hear his voice again, at being able to save the day for him. No, this definitely wasn’t normal by any means, but it certainly explained a great deal. It should be his fiancé who elicited these emotions from him, not someone halfway across the world that he never saw outside of the tennis circuit.

Andy groaned, rubbing his eyes as he saw the sun rising in the sky, bringing with it truths he hadn’t wanted to admit but could no longer escape. “Somewhere along the way I fell for him,” he uttered to the empty room, sighing. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

He knew being in love was supposed to be a great thing, but this didn’t fill him with the joy he knew it should. For one thing, they were both set to be married in a matter of days. For another, he was supposed to be figuring out Roger’s problems, not his own. In fact, he wasn’t even supposed to have problems that needed solving. He was supposed to marry Brooklyn and be obliviously happy forever and ever, amen. Unfortunately, his life never seemed to go the way it was supposed to.

As he reflected on his current situation, he realized that his relationship with Brooklyn wasn’t what he had imagined it to be. Somehow, in the last few months they had started to drift apart while he and Roger had become closer. They had shared so much through so little that they now appeared to be bound together. Well, he was bound to Roger, at any rate. Roger, however, was happily bound to Mirka.

“Mirka,” he said with a hint of jealousy in his voice. “I can’t compete with that. To begin with, she’s a she, and she makes Roger happy.” He slumped into his seat and took a sip of coffee, his brain suddenly kicking in and reminding him of something.

‘No, he’s not happy. That’s what started this in the first place. He hasn’t been happy since…’ His eyes widened and his face lit up with the realization of what it all meant, or what he hoped it meant. “Mirka…the engagement…he’s not happy with her? Could it really be that simple?”

Not sure what to think, there was one thing he knew with absolute certainty. He needed to sit down with Brooklyn and have a long overdue, likely unpleasant talk about their future.


	3. The world could have come to an end and he doubted he would have noticed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A much needed conversation finally takes place.

The next day, Roger found himself sitting in his kitchen thinking about his current predicament as he waited for Mirka to return from picking up her dress. Ever since realizing he was in love with Andy, but knowing his heart and future lay in two different directions, he was more despondent than before. There was nothing to save him this time, even temporarily. No knight in shining armor, no Andy to save the day. His only consolation in all of this, if he wanted to call it that, was the voice that had haunted him was now gone. It had disappeared as soon as he had admitted the truth to himself. He really hadn’t needed a princess after all, yet that’s what he was going to get. Somehow, his fairytale had become a nightmare.

‘I wanted Disney and I ended up with Grimm’s,’ he thought, noting the humor with bitter resentment. Still, as Diana had been pointing out, he had the power to end this if he would just allow himself to be selfish for once. The closer he got, the more tempting it became. If only…

The phone rang and he noticed it was Diana. He wasn’t sure he was in the mood for talking to her, but he also wasn’t about to ignore her because he was miserable. It wasn’t her fault he had trapped himself into this.

“Roger, have you seen the news?” she asked as soon as he answered, not even giving him a chance to say ‘hi’.

“Er, no,” he admitted sheepishly. The world could have come to an end and he doubted he would have noticed. “Why?”

“It’s everywhere!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe you haven’t…well, I guess I can, but you should see it!”

He furrowed his brows, trying to make sense of what she was saying. “Slow down and tell me what’s happening. Is it bad? Was there an accident?” She had him worried now.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Roger!” she hurriedly apologized. “I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just… It’s Andy Roddick, the American you’re, well… He’s called off his engagement to that model.”

Roger sat there stunned. Surely, he couldn’t have heard that right, could he? Andy had called off his engagement to Brooklyn? But why?

“Roger?” Diana asked when he didn’t say anything. “Are you still there?”

He snapped out of his musings and returned his focus to his sister. “Did he say why?”

“It’s being reported that the two parted on amicable terms, well as amicable as they can be given the circumstances. Brooklyn is claiming it was because of a change in their relationship, both of them wanting different things and –”

Although he was eager to hear the rest of what she had to say, he had to cut her off as he heard a knock at the door, sighing at the interruption. “I’m coming!” he called out as he got up to answer it, knowing who it was. “Sorry,” he apologized to his sister. “Mirka’s here and I think she forgot her keys again.” She wasn’t usually so absentminded, but Roger chalked it up to the many different directions she had been running in as of late.

“You need to talk to her,” Diana told him for what seemed like the millionth time. “You owe her that much.”

He really didn’t want to be having this conversation again. “What about Andy?” he asked, walking down the hall. “What’s he saying?”

Knowing there was no point in arguing it, she allowed the return to their original conversation. “He hasn’t issued a statement and no one can reach him,” she repeated, Roger catching every word this time. “He’s not answering his phone and he’s not at his home in Texas, or if he is he’s doing a great job hiding.”

“He’s probably staying at Mardy’s until this dies down,” Roger said, knowing how close the two were. “I’m surprised no one’s thought to check there.” Wondering what was going on with the American, he found he didn’t know what to say, nothing making sense anymore. He wanted nothing more than to call him and find out what was going on, ask him why he hadn’t said anything, but knew there was little chance of getting a hold of him when no one else could. If Andy didn’t want to be found, he wasn’t going to be. “I don’t know what to think about this,” he replied honestly, stopping just before he reached the front door. He knew Mirka wasn’t going to like waiting, but he needed to figure this out and he couldn’t do it once he opened that door. “He never gave any indication something was wrong.”

“I keep telling you, Roger; maybe he feels the same way you do. You need to tell him,” she was practically begging him, not wanting to see him make the mistake of marrying someone he didn’t love. “You can’t use the excuse of destroying his marriage and his happiness with Brooklyn; he’s already done that himself.”

He knew what she was saying was logical, that it made sense, and he found himself starting to agree with her. He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but he also knew that she was right. Regardless of the outcome, if he didn’t say something to Andy soon, he would later find himself wondering ‘what if’. All of his life he had gone after what he wanted and that shouldn’t stop him this time, right? He only wished he were that confident, knowing he was on the verge of losing everything.

“I’ll think about it,” he found himself telling her, not able to give her anything else.

It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but it was a start. Unfortunately, Roger was running out of time. “Okay,” she conceded. “Just make sure that when you do, you follow your heart and not your head. I don’t want to see you talking yourself out of something that would actually make you happy.”

“I will,” he promised, sighing as he heard a knock again, this time more frantic than the last, reminding him he needed to open the door. “I have to go. Mirka’s getting impatient.”

“You still haven’t let her in?” Diana asked incredulously. “Roger –”

“I was on the phone,” he said defensively, juggling said phone as he unlocked the door, feeling guilty all the same. “I’m letting her in now.”

“I’ll let you go, but I still think you need to talk to Mirka. And Andy, if you can find a way to reach him,” she added, knowing he had most likely turned his cell off until things stabilized.

Silence met her on the other end. By this point Roger had managed to open the door and was shocked by what he saw. Instead of Mirka, as he had expected, he found himself face to face with the missing American who was currently staring straight at him. He swallowed before saying, “That isn’t going to be as hard as you might think.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked confused. “Roger?”

“I’ll call you back,” he told her, hanging up before she could say anything else.

“Hi,” Andy said shakily, and if Roger didn’t know any better, he would have sworn he was nervous.

He was still reeling from what he was seeing, but he managed to get out, “What are you doing here?” He had to admit it wasn’t a polite response, but after everything he had experienced recently, he felt fortunate to be able to say anything at all.

“It’s a long story,” Andy said by way of explanation. “I can tell you all about it… Maybe not out here, though.”

Nodding, Roger stepped aside to allow Andy entrance, leading him back to the kitchen where he got him a drink.

Andy looked down at his hands, fidgeting with the glass. “How much have you heard?”

“I know you broke off your engagement, though I don’t know why,” Roger replied, adding, “I also know no one can find you for the very good reason you’re in the last place they’d think to look.”

Andy’s gaze quickly shot up to Roger, blurting out, “I couldn’t marry her.”

Roger rolled his eyes. “Obviously, but that still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here in Switzerland, in my house.”

“Someone had to save you, Roger,” Andy told him, beginning to feel more at ease. He received a raised eyebrow from the Swiss and added with a grin, “I know, I know. I’m not the best suited for the job, but Nadal was busy...” He paused for a moment before continuing. “Look, I really am here to save you from yourself. Something’s been bothering you and I wish you’d tell me what it is. I know you’re not happy and I want to help you, but I can’t do anything if you don’t tell me anything. Just open up to me, Rog,” he practically begged, reminding Roger of a puppy.

Roger wasn’t sure where to start or even how much to tell the American. He wanted to break down and tell him everything, but how much was Andy ready to hear?

Seeing Roger wasn’t going to say anything, Andy came right out and asked him the one thing he most wanted to know. “It’s Mirka, this wedding, the whole thing, isn’t it? It’s not what you want.” Afraid Roger would try to deny it, he quickly added, “It’s okay if it isn’t. I mean, just look at the mess I made with my engagement. Just don’t marry her if it’s not going to make you happy. You deserve better than that.”

“In the fairytales the prince saves the beautiful princess, marries her and they live happily ever after,” Roger said as he remembered all of the conversations he’d had with Diana, surprising Andy in the process. “It’s perfect and what everyone wants, but my life isn’t the perfect fairytale everyone makes it out to be.”

“That’s because it’s not real,” Andy told him. “You’re trying to follow someone else’s version of ‘happily ever after’ but you can’t do that. You have to write your own. It has to fit you and no one else, otherwise it won’t be real and it won’t last. How do you want your fairytale to end, Roger? Not what you think it should be, but what do you want it to be? What would make _you_ happy?”

Having already discussed this with Diana, Roger knew what would make him happy without even thinking about it. He also knew what he wanted and what he could have were two very different things. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them and looking straight into Andy’s, he said, “What I want, who I want, isn’t an option. It just can’t be.”

“Why not?” Andy challenged him. “I have a hard time imagining a woman out there that would turn you down. Have you even told her how you feel?”

Knowing he needed to be honest with Andy, he gathered all of his courage for what he was about to say and replied as confidently as he could. “That’s the thing. When I was younger, I told my sister I didn’t want to marry a princess. She told me I would change my mind when I got older and when I did, I believed her. I convinced myself that’s what I wanted, because that’s what was expected of me. If I’m being honest, I want something else… someone else. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Andy was blown away by what he was hearing. “You – you want a prince?” he asked, making sure. “Is that what you’re…? Wow.”

Roger nodded. “In a matter of speaking... I understand if this makes you uncomfortable or –”

“No!” Andy quickly assured. “No, it’s fine, just a lot to take in. After all, it’s not every day you find out Roger Federer secretly wants a prince to come and sweep him off his feet. So who is this guy, someone in the ATP?” He needed to know, his heartbeat quickening as he waited, almost afraid of what the Swiss would say. He would be happy for Roger no matter what, but he also knew it would kill him if the guy Roger liked was someone he had to see on tour every day, knowing whoever it was had the one thing he wanted most: Roger’s heart.

“He is,” Roger confirmed, resulting in Andy suddenly feeling like he was going to be sick, something Roger noticed. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Andy said, waving him off. “I’m fine.” He’d paid such close attention to Roger the last few months; he had a hard time understanding how he’d missed this. Whom could he have developed those kinds of feelings for? Suddenly, he had a thought. “It’s not really Nadal, is it? Because I was only kidding earlier when–”

“No,” Roger cut him off, amused at the thought. “It’s not Nadal.”

Andy sighed, relieved it wasn’t but at a loss as to who it could be. “So you’re really not going to give me a clue? Okay then. He doesn’t know, does he?” Seeing the confusion on Roger’s face, he clarified. “The guy you’re in love with, you haven’t told him, have you?”

Roger shook his head. “No, he found someone else and I didn’t want to ruin that.”

“You have to tell him Roger,” Andy insisted, echoing Diana’s words on the matter. “He deserves to know and you’ll regret it if you don’t tell him.”

Knowing he was right, but also knowing it was unlikely Andy would return his feelings, Roger said, “And if he doesn’t feel the same? I can’t destroy our friendship over this.”

His words resonated within Andy who understood. “But what if he does? Think about it Roger, you’re engaged. Maybe he loves you as much as you love him, and maybe he’d be willing to give it all up for you, but he just doesn’t think he stands a chance.” Realizing what he’d said, he added, “If I can’t save you, maybe he can.”

“And what about you?” Roger suddenly asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

Hearing that made Andy’s heart race, his nerves frayed by the direction things were going. “What about me?”

“Why don’t you tell me the reason you’re really here,” Roger demanded. “You break off your engagement and the first thing you do is come to see me. Why? It’s not like you just happened to be in the neighborhood.”

“I told you, I came to save you from making the same mistake I almost made. I saw how miserable you were and I couldn’t let you do this to yourself,” Andy tried to explain.

Roger scoffed. “Give me some credit, Andy. There’s something you’re not telling me and I get the feeling it’s connected to why you’re here. What happened with you and Brooklyn?”

“What do you want me to say?” Andy asked, the conversation not going the way he’d planned.

“The truth,” Roger said simply.

Andy sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You want the truth? Okay, fine, but you have to promise you won’t hate me once I tell you.”

Roger was confused. “Hate you? Why would I hate you?”

“Damn it Roger, just promise me,” Andy pleaded.

“Okay,” Roger agreed, knowing he could never hate the other man. “I promise.”

‘You didn’t come all of this way to back out now,’ Andy told himself. Taking a couple moments to gather his nerve, he finally started.

“When I said I wanted to save you, I was telling the truth. I’ve been wanting to ever since that day in the locker room at the Australian Open. I could tell even then that something wasn’t right I just didn’t know what, but then you called me yesterday and I figured it out, or I thought I did. It was while I was trying to solve your problems that I realized one of my own. Brooklyn wasn’t the one who made me happy. She wasn’t the one I worried about or thought about all of the time, and as my fiancé, she should have been. I knew then that I was in love with someone else.” He paused a moment, knowing that this was it, the words that would change everything between them. “I guess what I’m trying to say is the reason that I couldn’t marry Brooklyn is that I’m in love with you.”

“You love me,” Roger repeated with a smile, letting the words sink in. “Really?”

“You called me at four in the morning and I don’t recall telling you to ‘fuck off’ once,” Andy told him, gaining confidence at the fact Roger wasn’t disgusted with him and drawing a chuckle from the Swiss in the process. “Believe me, anyone else and I would have. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”

“I’m sorry,” Roger apologized. “I didn’t even think about the time difference when I called, just that I needed to talk to you.”

“Don’t be,” Andy said, shaking his head. “I probably wouldn’t have figured this out otherwise.” It struck him then that although he had confessed everything to Roger, he still hadn’t accomplished what he’d set out to do all those months before. “I really suck at saving you, though. Maybe I should have left it to your Prince Charming.”

Roger chuckled, shocking Andy in the process. “I have to admit, it’s not the most conventional method, but I wouldn’t say you failed.” Seeing the questioning look on Andy’s face, he continued. “I know now that you were right. I need to tell my prince that I love him. He deserves to know.”

Andy could feel his heart break. He knew as soon as Roger had made his confession earlier that he didn’t have a chance, but it still hurt to hear it all but confirmed. Still, he had promised himself that he would be happy for him. One of them should get a happy ending out of this and in a way he was glad it was Roger, though he couldn’t help but envy him that happiness. “That’s great, Rog,” he managed to get out. “He’d be a fool to turn you down.”

Seeing the pain in Andy’s eyes, Roger immediately reached out and grabbed his hand, wanting nothing more than to take that pain away and knowing he had the power to do so with his next words. “I’m pretty sure he won’t. No time like the present, right?” he asked with a grin, getting a slow nod in return as Andy wondered where he was headed with this. “Okay… Andy, I love you.”

Eyes widening and mouth going dry, Andy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Am I hearing things or did you just say that you love me?”

“I love you,” he repeated, drawing a matching grin from the American.

Uncertain what to say, silence hung between them for several moments before Andy asked Roger something he wasn’t sure he wanted an answer to. “What are you going to do? About Mirka, I mean.”

That was a good question, one he hadn’t given much thought to since he never believed the American could return his feelings. It seemed Diana had been right all along. “I think there are a lot of things Mirka and I need to talk about. I don’t think I can marry her now, it wouldn’t be fair to her or to me.”

“I know that one,” Andy said sympathetically, not envying him one bit. Still, he was curious about something. “Where does this leave us?”

“I don’t know,” Roger admitted, knowing what Andy wanted and what he wanted as well, but unsure he could give it to him.

Andy swallowed the lump in his throat. “I can’t tell you what to do, but I really wish you’d choose me. I know I’m not a prince like in the fairytales, but I love you, Rog, and you love me. You deserve to live happily ever after and I desperately want to give that to you. Please give me a chance here, that’s all I’m asking.”

Roger thought about it and the offer before him was awfully tempting. Here Andy was offering him everything he wanted and longed for. He’d finally be able to escape the nightmare his life had become, and he could get his happy ending. Most importantly, he was getting Andy. However, he couldn’t help but think about the one remaining hurdle in all of this; the media and what they would do if they got wind of this. He would be risking everything, they both would. The question remained; was this, was Andy, worth it?

He sighed. “Do you realize everything we’d be risking? What would happen if the media were to find out? They will find out. Are you ready for that?”

“I don’t care,” Andy said, determination in his eyes. “I know what’s expected of me and I know what people are going to say, but I don’t care about that. The question is, do you? It’s your life, Roger. Be selfish for once and do what you want, not what other people want.”

Having run out of arguments and feeling his resolve break, Roger finally quit fighting it, finally letting go. “Okay,” he agreed. “Let’s do this. Save me, Andy.”

Andy’s face lit up and he was about to reply when there was a knock at the door.

“Mirka,” Roger said with a sigh. Although he didn’t blame her, he couldn’t help but think she had really bad timing. Seeing the confusion and concern in Andy’s eyes, he explained. “She keeps forgetting her keys. I thought it was her when you appeared earlier.”

Andy raised an eyebrow, grin on his face. “Mirka? I’ve been mistaken for many things, but I have to admit that’s a new one. Disappointed you got me instead?”

Roger shook his head. “Never. I’ll be right back,” he told him as he headed for the door.

“Famous last words,” Andy called after him with a laugh.

When he opened the door, he found like last time that it wasn’t Mirka. This time it was Diana.

“You didn’t call me back,” she said by way of explanation before he could ask. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” he told her honestly, stepping aside to let her in. “Better than fine.”

Realizing there was only one thing that could have caused that, Diana’s face lit up as she followed him down the hall. “You mean you finally told him?”

Roger smiled as he thought about the conversation he’d had with Andy. “You were right. He said he loves me too.”

“Oh, Roger, I’m so happy for you!” she exclaimed, glad to see things were working out for him. “But how did you find him?” she asked, remembering that no one had been able to locate him.

He stopped and looked at her with a knowing smirk. “I didn’t,” he said before continuing into the kitchen, adding, “He found me.”

Following behind him, she started to ask what he meant, but stopped upon seeing the American sitting at the counter. Her eyes widened, turning to look at Roger who was still smirking, and then back to Andy. “What…but how…he’s…here…” she managed to get out.

“Hi,” Andy greeted her with a smile, saying to Roger, “Still not Mirka.”

Roger chuckled. “No,” he agreed. “Andy, meet my sister, Diana.”

“You’re really here,” she said by way of greeting, still unable to believe what she was seeing. “You came all this way for Roger; you must love him a great deal.”

This surprised Andy, who wasn’t aware how much Roger had told her. “Yes,” he confirmed. “I really do. So you’re okay with this? Roger and me, I mean.”

Diana nodded. “I just want him to be happy and he obviously is with you. Don’t break his heart,” she warned, Roger rolling his eyes.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he told her, looking at Roger with eyes full of love and a goofy grin on his face. Roger smiled back, the two lost in their own world of each other.

“You’re so cute together,” she told them. Then a sobering thought hit her. “What about Mirka?”

Roger sighed, turning his attention back to her. “I’m going to tell her everything. The last thing I want to do is hurt her, but she deserves to know.”

For the third time that day, just like clockwork, there was a knock at the door. All three looked at each other, thinking the same thing; Mirka.

“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Diana told them. “I’ll go talk to her and give you two a couple minutes.”

As she walked out of the kitchen, Andy walked over and took Roger’s hand in his own. “It’s gonna be okay, Rog. Do you want me to stay?”

Roger wanted to scream “Yes”; wanted Andy to stay and never leave him again. Instead, he said, “I think it would be better if I did this myself.”

“I understand,” Andy told him, remembering his own talk with Brooklyn. “I won’t go far, though. Call me if you need me or…just call me?”

Roger nodded. “I will. As soon as I fix this, you’re the first person I’m calling.”

Giving him a small smile, Andy leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m holding you to that,” he told him, giving Roger’s hand one final squeeze before he left.

Taking a deep breath, Roger could hear Mirka’s voice.

“Andy?” she asked, sounding confused. “What are you doing here?”

“I was just leaving,” Andy answered, not wanting to draw this out.

“Oh, okay…” she said uncertainly as he left. Moments later, she appeared in the kitchen. “What was Andy doing here? I heard he broke off his engagement and –”

“Mirka,” Roger interrupted her. “We need to talk.”


	4. So this fairytale of yours, how does it end?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger has the hardest conversation of his life while Diana becomes better acquainted with Andy.

Andy was sitting in the living room of Diana’s house, fidgeting nervously as he stared at his cell phone, which was currently lying on the coffee table in front of him. Since his decision to visit Roger had been an impulsive one, he hadn’t even bothered with hotel arrangements, simply catching the first available flight out. It wasn’t until he had left Roger that he realized he had nowhere to go. Fortunately, Diana had suspected as much and had offered to let him come back to her place while he waited, having easily taken to the American and knowing her brother wouldn’t want him aimlessly roaming the streets. Unfortunately, the minutes seemed to be creeping by at an agonizingly slow speed. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Diana reassured, breaking the silence. “He’ll call. He told you he would.”

He nodded absently, though whether he believed her was another issue. “I know, I’m just being stupid.”

She smiled warmly, saying, “No, you’re just in love.”

“Listen,” he said, looking up at her, “you really don’t have to sit here with me. I’m sure you have better things to do.”

“I’m not sure you should be by yourself right now,” she replied.

Andy scoffed. “I’m anxious and nervous, and any other word you can think of, but I’m not suicidal.”

“No,” she conceded, “you’re not. Do you want me to leave?”

He thought about it for a moment and realized that although he had just met her, he really didn’t want her to leave. “No,” he admitted, going back to staring at his phone. “I just wish he’d call. I hate not knowing…not being there.”

“You got through it, he will too. He has you.”

Andy offered her a small smile in gratitude. “Thanks.”

Silence hung between them for several minutes before Andy’s phone rang. He immediately reached for it, his face falling upon seeing the name. “Hey Mardy,” he answered, clearly disappointed.

“How could you not tell me?” Mardy asked, obviously upset. “I’m your best friend and I had to find out with the rest of the world on TV. You couldn’t bother to call? Really?”

Andy’s eyes widened. The last twenty-four hours had been a blur between realizing he was in love with Roger; ending things with Brooklyn; frantically trying to get to Switzerland and nervously worrying about how things would work out. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten to call his best friend. “Shit, I’m sorry!” he rushed to apologize. Sighing, he added, “Things have been crazy. It’s...it’s been a long day.”

“Are you really that upset about this whole thing?” Mardy asked, noticing Andy’s dejected tone. “They’re reporting that your split was mutual.”

“No, it was,” Andy reassured him. “I’m the one that ended it.”

Mardy was confused. “Then why do you sound like someone shot your dog? And where are you? No one’s been able to find you and I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day. I was beginning to think I never would.”

“Switzerland…it’s a long story.”

“No kidding!” Mardy exclaimed. “You break off your engagement, drop off the face of creation, and pop up in Switzerland. What are you doing there, visiting Federer?” he joked. When Andy failed to laugh, or even respond, he knew he had hit on the truth. “You are! Isn’t he getting married in a few days?”

Andy hesitated. “Well…he _was_ getting married. I don’t think that’s happening now.”

“Just what the hell’s going on Roddick?” Mardy asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“Like I said, it’s a long story.”

“Then start talking,” Mardy told him.

Starting with that day so many months ago in Australia, Andy told him everything.

“You and Roger Federer. That’s…wow,” Mardy said when Andy had finished. “I just have one question: are you happy?”

“I’d be happier if I knew what was going on, but yeah, I am,” he replied honestly.

All Mardy said was, “Okay then.”

“That’s it?” Andy asked, surprised he was taking it so well. “You’re not going to lecture me or tell me how fucked up this whole thing is?”

Mardy laughed. “Oh, it’s incredibly fucked up; both of you calling off your weddings at the last minute because you suddenly realized you were in love with each other… The press is having a field day with yours, imagine what they’ll think when this comes out.”

Andy groaned. “I really don’t want to think about that right now.”

“But seriously, Andy, you’re like my brother,” Mardy told him. “I admit I was upset I was the last to find out, but it’s fine now. As long as you’re happy, be it Brooklyn or Roger, that’s all that matters.”

“Thanks,” Andy said, glad to have things straightened up between the two of them.

“So…still waiting for Federer,” Mardy said. “Want me to stay on the phone until he calls? You can kick me off as soon as he does.”

Andy considered it, feeling a little more at ease with the familiar voice of his friend to keep him company. However, the sound of Diana rattling around in the kitchen changed his mind. While it would have been easy to pass the time with Mardy, he realized that if he and Roger were going to be together, he’d likely be seeing more of Diana; it was obvious she and Roger were close. He found he wanted to get to know her better and now seemed as good a time as any.

“No, I think I’ll be fine here,” he declined, “but I appreciate the offer.”

“Okay,” Mardy conceded, “but if you need anything, call, even if it’s to jump on a plane and kick Federer’s ass. He may be tennis royalty, but you’re family. You need me, I’m there.”

For the first time since he’d had to leave Roger, Andy laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.” As he told Mardy goodbye and hung up, he noticed Diana returning, handing him a cup of coffee.

“Still nothing?” When Andy shook his head, she sighed. “I tell you what, how about I make you some dinner while you wait. I’m sure you’re hungry.” Knowing he would likely decline, she added, “If you want, you can help. Doing something might make the time go faster.”

He wanted to protest that he was fine, food the last thing on his mind, but his stomach chose that moment to growl. It was then that he realized he hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before, so caught up in everything. Deciding food was probably a good idea, and seeing an opportunity to spend time with her, he agreed, saying, “Okay, anything beats sitting here willing my phone to ring.” He got up and followed her back into the kitchen, adding, “But I should tell you right now, I’m no iron chef.”

“I assumed that much,” she said. “Where would you place yourself?”

Andy thought for a moment. “Somewhere between a college kid with a packet of Easy Mac and landing my own gig as the next Food Network Star. Guess which one’s closer.”

Diana laughed. “I’m sure we can manage something.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Roger was sitting across from Mirka in his own living room trying to find the words that would cause her the least pain. So far, he wasn’t having much luck.

“What is it?” she asked, curious as to why he wasn’t saying anything. “You wanted to talk to me, yet you’ve barely said two words.”

He sighed, knowing that no matter what he said, he would still be hurting her. “I have something important to tell you, but I don’t know how to say it.”

“It’s okay, Roger. Just tell me,” she said, as though it were that simple.

The way she said it reminded him of the old adage about ripping off a Band-Aid and he wished it were that easy. Unfortunately, he knew that would only make the pain worse in this case. Instead, he tried a different tactic. “It took me awhile to admit to myself, but I realized that I haven’t been very happy for some time. I thought my life was perfect, but now I know that I’m living it the way I’m expected to, not the way I want to, and it’s been slowly driving me insane. I’m not sure how much more I can take.” He paused for a moment, unsure how to continue, but Mirka took advantage of the silence.

“Do you want to take a break?” she asked, Roger staring at her in confusion. “I know there’s been a lot of pressure placed on you, especially now that you’re close to breaking Pete Sampras’ record, but if it’s causing you this much stress and anxiety, maybe it would be better if you took some time off.”

“No!” Roger was quick to deny. “Tennis isn’t the problem, although I can’t seem to find relief there, either.”

Mirka looked at him questioningly. “If tennis isn’t the problem, then what is?”

“It…” he trailed off for a moment, looking down at the floor while he gathered his thoughts before looking back up at her. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, and that’s why I’m having so much trouble saying this.”

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was trying to say. “It’s me, isn’t it? You’re not happy with me.”

“Mirka, I –”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. “Before you say anything, answer this for me. Did you ever love me? I mean, you weren’t always this miserable with me, were you?”

Roger could feel his heart break with that question. Although he knew he wasn’t in love with her, his heart lying with Andy, he found it still hurt him to hear her ask that. “I really did love you and we were happy together,” he told her. “That wasn’t a lie… but somewhere along the way, things changed, including my feelings. In fact, I do still love you, just not the same way. I tried to pretend that I could do this, but I realized that not only wasn’t it fair to me, it also wasn’t fair to you. You deserve someone who can be devoted to you wholeheartedly and I just can’t be that for you.”

Mirka was silent for several moments before she finally nodded her head. “I understand and I’m glad you told me.”

Of all the responses he had imagined, this was the last thing he expected. Stunned, he said, “You understand? I’m not even sure I understand. I just broke up with you, our wedding less than a week away, and you’re practically thanking me. You should hate me right now, at the very least.”

She sighed. “Don’t you think I know that? I want to hate you, I want to desperately for what you’re putting me through, but I can’t. You see, you weren’t the only one in denial. I realized you were unhappy, probably even before you did, but I tried to convince myself it was just my imagination. I wanted to pretend that the life we had was still there, that nothing had changed and we could still have what we’d dreamed of together. I can see now that that’s impossible and it really wouldn’t be fair to either one of us. I would want all of you, Roger, but as you said, you can’t give me that. The one thing you’d be holding back is the part of you I want the most: your heart; but I can see you’ve already given that away. Tell me, who is she?”

“Why does everyone assume there’s a ‘she’?” he asked, more to himself than to Mirka, but she immediately picked up on it and the pieces clicked together.

Understanding lit her face. “Andy…” she said. “That’s why he’s broken off his engagement, and why he was here when I was leaving. You two are together, aren’t you?”

Roger simply nodded his head, unable to say anything else; surprised she was taking this so well.

“How long?” she asked, having to know how long this had been going on.

“I think a part of me has always loved him in some way,” he admitted. “When I met you, I fell in love with you and it disappeared for a while, but as our relationship changed, so did my feelings for Andy. The beginnings of love that I felt for him all those years ago became something more; I just didn’t realize it until yesterday…he didn’t either.”

“Which is when he ended things with Brooklyn and came here,” Mirka finished for him, Roger nodding in confirmation.

“I really am sorry,” he apologized, and he was. “More than you’ll ever know. I never meant to fall for him, it –”

“I know,” she said, cutting him off. “It just happened.”

Roger hesitated for a moment, searching for something to say. “You’re taking this far better than I expected.”

She looked him right in the eye, a mixture of pain and love present. “Like I said, Roger, as much as I want to hate you, I can’t. Don’t get me wrong, it still hurts, for although you’re no longer in love with me, at least some part of me is still in love with you. But I do understand and I’d rather you have told me now than later, before we went through with what is obviously a mistake.”

“Thank you for that,” Roger said sincerely.

Mirka nodded, standing up and heading for the door, Roger following. “Now, why don’t you go find Andy and I’ll just let myself out. I’m sure he’s anxious to see you, seeing as I obviously ran him off.” When Roger tried to protest, Mirka added, “I’m not blind, Roger. I was here when he left.”

“What about you? Will you be all right?” Although he was longing to see Andy, he wanted to make sure she would be okay first.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “I’ll get through this, I just need time. I’d even like to think that maybe one day, when this doesn’t hurt as much, we can be friends.”

Roger smiled. “I’d like that. You’re an amazing woman, Mirka.”

“I sure hope so,” she said, giving him a small smile before walking out the door.

He stared after her for a few moments, thinking about what he was losing as well as what he was gaining, before closing the door. Having made it through better than expected, he smiled as he realized what he had to do; he had an American to call.

* * *

“…and nobody knows how it happened, but somehow I had gotten my hands on a tub of butter and was spreading it on my mother’s brand new living room sofa,” Andy recounted, causing Diana to laugh. “Don’t ask me why I thought that was a good idea, I was three, so it’s hard to say.”

The two were sitting in the kitchen eating dinner, having avoided any major catastrophes during the actual cooking process, and were exchanging stories from their childhoods. Diana was learning more about Andy and Andy was discovering just how deep the bond between her and Roger ran.

Quickly glancing at the clock across the room, Diana noted that Roger still hadn’t called Andy despite his promise to do so. She didn’t say anything, though, not wanting to remind Andy of that fact, noticing the change that had come over him in the last hour as they talked. Although it was obvious he was still waiting for Roger to call, his fingers subconsciously tapping a nervous rhythm on the table next to where he placed his phone, ready to grab it the second it rang, he had finally stopped staring at it every five seconds, as though doing so would magically cause it to ring. She also noticed that he appeared less despondent, something that started halfway through his second story as he began to focus more on the topic at hand and less on the many ‘what ifs’ surrounding her brother. Listening to him, she started to understand what Roger saw in him and found she very much approved of his choice. Roger was right; it was hard not to like Andy.

As she was thinking this, she heard the front door open and knew there was only one person it could be: Roger. He must have used the key she had given him in case of emergencies. It was obvious Andy hadn’t heard since he was still talking about his brother finding him elbow deep in a butter tub. He also didn’t notice as Roger appeared in the doorway behind him.

Roger stood there with a smile on his face, focusing on the American who was obviously getting along quite well with his sister. While he wanted to go up to Andy, take him in his arms, and never let him go, he also wanted to take in this moment for just a little longer. It served as yet another reminder of just how much he loved him.

When Andy paused for a moment, Diana laughed and said, “I can just imagine what your parents must have thought, seeing their nice sofa covered in butter.”

Andy laughed as well. “Yeah, while my mom called the furniture store to find out how to clean the butter off my dad was in charge of giving me a bath. He said that picking me up was like trying to carry a greased pig. I obviously don’t remember any of this, but they tell it to everyone. They can see the humor in it now, though I doubt they did then.”

While Andy had been talking, Roger snuck up behind him, motioning Diana not to give him away.

“It sounds like you were a real handful as a child,” Diana said, amused.

“Yeah,” Andy agreed with a chuckle, but suddenly froze when he felt a set of arms encircle him from behind.

“It sounds like not much has changed,” Roger teased. “It makes me wonder what I’m getting myself into.”

Hearing the Swiss, Andy relaxed a little, but quickly turning around in his chair, a small smile on his face. “Damn Rog, you about gave me a heart attack. Trying to eliminate the competition?”

“Ja,” Roger said with a smirk. “That was my master plan.”

Without warning, Andy’s jumped up and enveloped the Swiss in a hug, Diana choosing that moment to slip out of the room. “I missed you,” he whispered softly in Roger’s ear.

“What brought this on?” This confused Roger, knowing this wasn’t like Andy.

He pulled back from Roger, exhausted, a culmination of jet lag and the emotional roller coaster he’d been on lately. Ever since he’d left Roger to Mirka, his nerves had been frayed, worrying about both Roger and himself. To begin with, he had been concerned with how Roger was dealing with Mirka, wishing he could be there with him to offer support but understanding his need to do this on his own. Of course, there were also too many ‘what ifs’: what if Roger decided to stay with Mirka; what if he realized he didn’t want Andy after all; what if this was it and they were over before they’d even started. He knew he was being ridiculous, but those questions had lurked at the back of his mind most of the evening. When he’d looked up to see Roger just moments before, he’d been flooded with an overwhelming feeling of relief and happiness. He also found he was irked with him for not calling.

“You didn’t call,” he told him, his tone making it clear that he was bothered by that fact. Immediately after he said it, he ran a hand through his hair and groaned. “Oh God, I sound like some teenage girl with her first crush, waiting for the phone to ring… but the point still stands; I was worried.”

Roger took one look at Andy’s face and swallowed hard. Although he had promised to call, and had every intention of doing so, a text from Diana alerting him to Andy’s whereabouts was all he needed to change his mind. Deciding to take Mirka’s advice, and not wanting to waste any time, he rushed right over. Now, seeing Andy and realizing what he must have put him through, he was starting to second-guess that decision. “I wanted to call. I almost did, but I had to see you, so I came straight here. I couldn’t stand being away from you when I knew you were so close.”

Andy didn’t question it, knowing Diana had either let him know he was here or the two were so close that Roger had anticipated she’d be housing him. He sighed, knowing his heart was in the right place, saying, “I understand and I really do appreciate the gesture, but the next time you say you’ll call, call.”

“I will,” Roger said, nodding his head in compliance and meaning it. “I never meant to worry you.”

“I know.” Then, almost afraid of what the answer would be, he asked, “How did things go with Mirka?”

“Surprisingly well,” Roger admitted, noticing the concern in Andy’s voice. “She’s hurt, which is to be expected, but she doesn’t hate me. She knew it was coming; she just didn’t want to admit it either. I guess I’m not as good at hiding my emotions as I thought.”

“You are,” Andy told him, “but some of us know where to look… So you’re free now?”

Roger shook his head. “No,” he said. Seeing Andy’s face fall, he quickly added, “I’ve recently entered a relationship with a certain American who flew all the way here to see me after ending his engagement.”

Letting out the breath he’d been holding, Andy gave him a light shove. “Don’t ever do that to me again,” he warned. “You knew what I meant. Now I really do think you’re trying to kill me.”

“I’m sorry,” Roger said with a grin on his face.

“You’re not, but that’s okay,” Andy said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’ll get you when you least expect it. Even the great Roger Federer has to sleep sometime.”

“We’ll see,” Roger replied.

Stepping closer, Andy asked, “So this fairytale of yours, how does it end? The handsome prince comes in, saves the day, and…”

“Handsome prince, huh?” Roger asked amused, eyebrow raised.

“I was being serious! Okay, so maybe I’m not a prince,” Andy conceded, “but I’ll have you know that I’m incredibly handsome. People find me irresistible.” Seeing Roger roll his eyes with a grin, he added, “Well, you find me irresistible.”

“You have me there,” Roger admitted, earning a smirk from Andy. “And I’d like to think we get a happy ending, spending the rest of our lives together.”

Andy laughed. “It’s kinda clichéd, but I think I can live with that. You sure you can put up with me that long?”

Roger pretended to think it over. “I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out,” he said, adding, “You really put butter on your mother’s sofa?”

“I was three!” Andy defended. “You make it sound like I go into people’s homes in the middle of the night, raid their fridge and paint their furniture with food.”

“Even if you did, I’d still love you,” Roger said honestly.

“That’s good…I think. But there’s still one thing missing,” Andy said, Roger giving him a questioning look. “Come on, Roger, every good fairytale needs a kiss.”

Before Roger could say anything, he pressed his lips to the Swiss’s, eliciting a groan as the kiss was returned. Taking advantage of the moment, he slipped his tongue into Roger’s mouth, deepening it as he felt Roger grasp a fistful of his shirt, trying to pull him closer.

When the need for air became too much, they breathlessly broke apart, foreheads touching, eyes closed as they both tried to hold onto the moment as long as they could. Finally, they opened their eyes and stared at each other, seeing mirror reflections of love staring back.

“You were right,” Roger eventually managed. “That’s exactly what it needed…”

* * *

Late that night, Roger found himself staring at Andy who was lying in his arms fast asleep, head pillowed on his chest. The American had succumbed to jet lag hours ago, drifting off within moments of hitting the bed. When he began to stir, Roger subconsciously tightened his protective grip. Although it had been a long day for both of them, sleep was eluding him as he marveled at the last two days, in awe of the fact that Andy was his now. Still, something was bothering him.

“Roger?” Andy mumbled sleepily, struggling to wake up. “What time is it?”

“Go back to sleep,” Roger told him, though Andy failed to listen.

As he forced himself up from his comfortable spot against Roger, he yawned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, glancing over at the clock on the bedside table. “It’s after midnight. Why are you awake?”

“It’s nothing,” Roger said.

“It’s not ‘nothing’ if it’s keeping you up,” Andy argued. “At some point you’re going to realize that for this relationship to work, we have to be able to communicate. I’m going to make you see that even if it means tying you to a chair and forcing you to watch Dr. Phil.”

Sighing, Roger knew he was right. “I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you.”

“As sweet as that is, I just know there’s an ‘and’ there.”

“I’m just having a hard time believing this is real. It feels too good to be true,” Roger explained.

Andy understood where he was coming from. “You’re afraid this won’t last.” Taking the silence as confirmation, he continued. “Roger, life’s full of so many uncertainties and no one knows what tomorrow will bring. For all I know, I could be attacked by killer ducks in my sleep.”

“Killer ducks?” Roger asked skeptically.

“It could happen,” Andy said, sounding as though he almost thought it could. “The point is you have to make the most of what you have. While I can’t promise you much, I can promise that I love you and I’m going to be here for as long as you’ll have me. If that’s forever, which I hope it is, great. If not, I’ll take in every second of what we do have. That’s not to say our relationship will always be sunshine and rainbows, in fact, I guarantee there will be some moments that will downright suck, but the imperfections are what make it real. It isn’t supposed to be perfect, because it’s life and life isn’t perfect. Not even you are perfect. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“The way you put it was quite depressing, but I think so.”

Andy combed his hand through his hair and sighed in relief. “Good, then do you think you could explain it to me, because I’m not even sure what I just said.”

Roger chuckled. “I think you just promised me forever… again.”

“And I’ll keep promising it until it sinks in,” Andy said, meaning every word. “I’m not going anywhere, not until you tell me to leave. Even then, I’d probably find some way to stalk you. Think about it, Rog. I’d have to be a fool to leave you. If anything, there’s far more reasons you should leave me.”

Realizing that despite his tough exterior, Andy was just as insecure in this as he was, Roger leaned in and kissed him. Pulling back, he said, “I could never leave you, Andy. Not now that I finally have you.”

Andy smiled, even though Roger couldn’t see it. “That’s good to know. Now that we have that straightened out, do you think you can sleep now, because I’m shot. I don’t know about sheep, but I bet we could find you some cows to count if you can’t.”

“Just one last thing,” Roger said, clearly amused. “Is this the part where we finally live happily ever after?”

“You’re so demanding.” Andy leaned back in, his mouth millimeters from Roger’s. “Yes, you get your happy ending,” he said, capturing his mouth again. He then lay back down, curled against the Swiss, and easily fell back asleep.

Hugging Andy to him, one last thought drifted through Roger’s mind before he was finally claimed by sleep. ‘He’s wrong. This isn’t the ending, it’s only the beginning.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is it. Thank you for sticking this out with me. If you could please leave a comment, I would greatly appreciate it!


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